


You Know You Should Be Glad

by Nerdgirlproblems



Series: Staine verse [5]
Category: Captain America, Glee
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-12
Updated: 2013-02-12
Packaged: 2017-11-29 02:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/681645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdgirlproblems/pseuds/Nerdgirlproblems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Blaine's relationship through the eyes of Steve's oldest friend</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Know You Should Be Glad

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Winter Soldier (as in the identity of Winter Soldier). I love both couples in this, and all the characters, and I love writing OTPs from an outside perspective.

Bucky wasn’t exactly surprised when he came back to the world and found that Steve had a boyfriend. His best friend had always done things in his own way, and never bought into the kinds of boundaries that the society they’d grown up in had tried to dictate. In fact, Bucky almost didn’t notice. He’d been a little preoccupied with the utter mind-fuck of breaking his old handlers’ control and coming to terms with both his past and being a part of the 21st century. His first few weeks back in the world were a blur of SHIELD agents and doctors, debriefings and psych analyses. If he hadn’t had Nat there by his side, her hand quietly but firmly on his arm, he probably would’ve broken.

Steve had been there, Bucky remembered that much, his eyes shining and looking as if he’d won the lottery but was too afraid to admit it. Natasha had to give a quick explanation of cell phones when Steve kept leaving to talk on his. That was when Bucky first heard about Blaine’s existence.

Bucky could hear him, smiling into the phone on his way out the door.

“Yes, he’s here. He’s fine. I can’t… I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

They didn’t meet for a few weeks. Bucky had finally been allowed to leave SHIELD’s care and had moved in with Natasha, the two of them seamlessly picking up where they’d left off years ago. This time, though, there was no fear or evil encroaching on them. It seemed like the 21st century may be the best thing to ever happen to him. He had Nat, he had Steve, and SHIELD didn’t seem like the worst place to be. He said as much to Natasha one morning while she was getting dressed, Bucky lying out on their bed taking advantage of his free time while it lasted.

“Don’t get too lazy, James. Fury will be calling you in soon.”

“Hey, I think I’m entitled to this furlough. If it’ll make you feel better, we can go to the gym and spar this afternoon.”

Nat smiled mischievously. “If by ‘spar,’ you mean ‘I take you down repeatedly,’ then of course.”

Bucky grinned, leaning up to give her a kiss.

“Have you talked to Steve?”

“Nah, not since I last saw him at SHIELD. I don’t really have the hang of that cell thing, and I doubt he does, even after all this time. Why?”

“I just know he’ll want to see you.”

“Maybe he and I can go for drinks, like old times. Unless SHIELD keeps him on a short leash.”

“No, he gets some nights off.” Natasha smiled. “But usually he’s… preoccupied. In fact… there’s someone you should meet.”

Bucky caught on pretty quickly.

“Double date?”

**

Nat had finally told Bucky about Blaine a few hours before they were set to meet.

“So, tell me about Steve’s sweetheart?”

“His name is Blaine. He’s a musician.”

Natasha turned, her calm mask in place, waiting for Bucky’s response.

“…Musician, huh? That’s good, Steve’s never been too musical but he was always an artist. Figured he’d end up with one.”

Nat smiled at him then, giving his arm a squeeze.

When they reached the bar, a fairly nice one in Brooklyn that made Bucky feel a twinge of homesickness but that he knew Steve must love, he quickly caught sight of his old friend at a far table. But it was the smaller man beside him that caught Bucky’s attention. After years around soldier and then the hardened men of his Winter Soldier time, it was almost jarring to see someone like Blaine. Sure, he was a tad bit on the small side, especially compared to Steve, but there was more than that. He was fidgeting, obviously nervous to meet his boyfriend’s thought-to-be-dead best friend. He was dressed well and in a fashion that seemed almost familiar to Bucky, which meant it must have been either classic or even out-dated by now. His hazel eyes were wide and full of emotion. That’s what got to Bucky the most. This kid, this man, wore his heart on his sleeve. Few people made it through life with that kind of openness, especially those that Bucky came in contact with. You just couldn’t survive like that, letting yourself be vulnerable.

Without having to ask, Natasha had given him Blaine’s file earlier that day. He needed to know about who his best friend had let into his life. Nat understood that. It may have been low or devious, but Bucky would risk his own soul for Steve without question. From what he’d read and what he was seeing now, he was suitably impressed. Bucky could read people, it was a skill he’d needed to survive, and Blaine was an easy read. He cared about people, he felt deeply, that much was evident. But he hadn’t had an easy life. Far from it. The guy had been kicked down constantly, but he never gave up. And somehow, as insane as it seemed to Bucky, he’d never lost his innocence, his hope, his heart. He seemed like the perfect match for Steve, who had always been attracted to people with that kind of hard iron inner strength. Peggy, Blaine, people that society tried to step on but who pushed back and followed their hearts, never giving up or letting go. Steve’d probably say it was an unconscious desire for that kind of strength, but Bucky knew the truth. It was a like-minded attraction. Looking at what Steve had been before the super soldier serum, who he still was, his strength fit beside Blaine’s like a matched set. Because even though seeing someone as hopeful and heart-full as Blaine seemed like an anomaly, he wasn’t the only one. Steve, despite everything he’d seen, all the wars, had never lost his heart.

Blaine’s eyes got even wider when he saw Natasha walk in, which made Steve turn to them and break out in a grin.

“Buck!” Steve jumped up to grab him in a hug when they reached the table. He pulled back suddenly, looking sheepish. “Uh, that’s… alright? Right?”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna break, Cap.” He playfully punched Steve’s arm.

Blaine stood, trying to subtly wipe his palms on his pants.

“So, Stevie, this your fella?”

“Oh, um… yes. Buck, this is Blaine. Blaine this is James Barnes, or Bucky.”

Blaine stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you, James.”

Bucky grabbed his hand in a firm shake, happy to feel it returned. “Bucky’s fine. Only Nat here insists on the real name.”

Natasha took a seat, smiling. “That is because it’s a ridiculous name, James.”

“You know you love it.” He grinned, sitting next to her and letting himself relax when she silently rested her hand on his thigh. He was dealing with everything fairly well, but he couldn’t have done it without her.

When he saw Blaine and Steve exchange reassuring smiles, he realized he wasn’t the only one.

The night went well, at least from Bucky’s perspective. Nat stayed pretty quiet, as she usually did, but Bucky could tell she had a good time. She and Steve were close, and she seemed to really like Blaine, but who could blame her? Bucky liked him too. He was a good guy, real nice and funny. And he made Steve smile, made him full on grin and laugh. That alone made Bucky like him. Blaine looked at Steve like he was something special, which he was, and which he deserved. His big eyes would twinkle and he kept giving Steve these loving looks, full of pride. And Steve looked at Blaine like he couldn’t believe he existed, that someone like that would want to be with him, that he was allowed this. There was just something beautiful about that, even to a hardened cynic like Bucky.

When the night ended, they all got up for their goodbyes. Blaine gave Nat a hug, which spoke volumes. There were few people on this planet that Natasha Romanoff would allow that kind of intimate access. He gave Bucky a timid nod, to which Bucky rolled his eyes again and pulled him into a hug.

“Steve’s my brother, Blaine, so that makes us family now. And ‘far as I know, family hugs.”

Bucky then pulled Steve in far a bone-crushing hug. They held tight for a moment, both men reveling in the fact that they were together again.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Steve whispered. “Kinda feels like a dream.”

“It’s pretty nuts. Are… are you happy? Here and now? Living in the future like some pulp novel or comic book?”

“I… wasn’t. But then I found him. And now I’ve got you. And there’s not other time or place I’d rather be.”

Bucky pulled back, stealing a quick glance at Natasha.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

After promises to see each other again soon, Steve grabbed Blaine’s hand and the two walked off. Bucky could hear them as they left, a vision of two people in love.

“See, B, I told you. Easier than when I had to meet Cooper.”

Blaine laughed, his head thrown back, still gazing at Steve. 

“Y’know Nat,” Bucky inclined his head, nudging his girlfriend slightly. “I don’t think the 21st century’s half bad.”


End file.
